In Good Company
by Flying Chariot
Summary: It is the final day of the dying year, a new one shall begin promptly when the clock strikes twelve. Yet comfort seems cold in the house of Mario, who is drowning in loneliness. And yet oblivious in what is to come when he receives an unexpected visitor. — Mario x Rosalina


_In Good Company_

In a house alone quite like no other.

Indeed, he finds himself in the company of solitude. Mario looks out the window, snow glazed everywhere around, and much more are piling up from the night sky. He lets out a small sigh, and takes a sip of the hot chocolate from his mug in red, decorated with flames that his younger brother bought him for Christmas. He motions his head towards the small table next to him, that holds a book he was reading for the past few hours. Mario ponders whether he should finish it, the bookmark is inserted into the final chapter, he has been enjoying the book's content, only a few unread pages are left...he looks away.

He decides to take a break from the adventure the book offered, and finish it at another time. It could wait.

The clock is beginning to pass eleven, Mario notices this, and he knows that the birth of the new year is arriving within the next hour. Yet he is not even amused, nor eager for it. He dully looks at the illuminated fireplace, the logs are burning as flames consume them and lets out another sigh. Luigi was not home, in fact he is far away in the Kingdom of Sarasaland, and will celebrate the new year with the flower princess and her family. While Mario told his brother that he should not worry about him and to have a fun time, he felt a small hole in his heart. He always spent the new year with his brother, this is the first time he will not.

Maybe he could have visited the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom to spend the new year with her, but the events that occurred prior to that idea would ultimately throw it away. Distant relatives of Peach were dropping by for a visit, and Mario did not want to disturb such a reunion, so he declined that suggestion.

Finally, he also could have made a visit to Yoshi's Island, but the green dinosaur had his own party with others of his kind for the new year, and Mario simply going to it would make him stick out like a sore thumb.

Such a lonely year the outcome would be for the red capped hero, and there was nothing he could do about it.

The door bell rang, and this surprised Mario's ears, was he hearing correctly? Who could possibly ever want to see him at this hour? Maybe it is for his brother, he might as well answer it and tell the person that Luigi was no where in sight. He left his comfy chair and approached the door. One of his blue eyes looked through the door hole to see who the visitor was.

He gasped, and opened the door with anticipation.

"Rosalina?" He inquired, he stood in awe in front of the tall, blonde, cosmic princess.

A small smile crept upon her face. "Hello Mario, may I come in?"

Mario hesitated, he is baffled by her presence. The Watcher of the Stars is a busy woman, constantly raising and looking over the lumas who would grow into galaxies, always watching space that surrounded her, what would be the reason for her coming here? Is there danger lurking? Has Bowser kidnapped Princess Peach once more? Despite all these questions, he also realized that she held a calm nature, this is indeed odd.

He finally broke the tension and allowed her inside. Rosalina sat in the Luigi's chair next to Mario's, while the plumber went into the kitchen. "Do you want any hot chocolate?"

"Whatever you wish to give me Mario, I will gladly take," responded the princess.

"Okey dokey then," Mario answered, Rosalina could hear liquid pouring into a mug.

"So what brings you here to my home?"

"I expected you to ask that," Rosalina replied, staring at the window. "If you truly wish to know, it is that I wanted to see you."

"What?" Mario asked, bewildered. He went into the living room to give Rosalina her drink, and then sat back in his chair. "Eh, I am a bit surprised by such answer."

"Well it's the end of the year and we have been seeing each other more often..." Rosalina continued. "...remember that adventure you recently invited me to?"

"You mean the one with the Sprixie Princesses? Yeah."

"Yes, I just want to let you know that I had a lot of fun in that adventure. And for that, I have come to repay you with a visit of my own."

"Are you inviting me to another adventure?" Mario chuckled. Rosalina giggled at his remark. "Did I say anything about one?"

"I could sure use one right now," Mario said. "I have been quite bored for a while."

"And why is that?" Rosalina inquired. "Also, where is your brother?"

"He's not here," said Mario solemnly. "He's out, some where far, celebrating the new year with Princess Daisy."

"Oh, so you are all alone?"

"Yeah, I would have seen Peach but nah, she's busy with her family. Yoshi is out partying with his own kind, he invited me but I declined, don't wanna stick out." He laughed sadly. "It's funny, I normally spend the new year with Luigi, and sometimes Peach, but this year...Mario is pretty much all alone, hehe."

"I am sorry," Rosalina lamented, sympathy for the plumber began to grow within her heart, her turquoise orbs stared down at the hot chocolate she was holding. "I understand that feeling."

"But enough about me," Mario said, wanting to change the subject. "May I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead," Rosalina answered, then sipping her mug. "I am open."

"How did you manage to find time to come here? I mean, you're usually so busy."

"Hmm, well I told Polari to watch the observatory and that I was going out to visit someone. He rightfully followed orders. If anything were to happen, he would send a luma to notify me."

"Oh, I see, but why visit me? I mean you could have spent the new year with your family, the lumas right?"

"Correct I could have, but I wanted to try something new this year. After all we are friends, right?"

"Yeah."

Silence stood between the two, they both stared at the fireplace for quite awhile, no words were spoken, just the sound of logs burning. Rosalina looked around her surroundings, the home of the Mario Bros is no fancy mansion, but rather simple and soothing, and she likes it that way. She then looks at the plumber, who is staring at her.

"Oh!"

"Do you like it?" He asked.

"Ah—yes I do. It's very unique, I like how simplistic your house is."

"Glad you do. Luigi and I aren't very fancy, but our home is comfy as we like it."

"I can see that."

"Yeah and Rosie...can I call you that?"

Rosalina let out a small smile. "I am usually not one for pen names but since you are my friend, of course."

"Alrightie then. Rosie...thank you."

"Hmm?"

"You heard me," Mario stated. "Thank you so much for coming here, you see I was pretty lonely, everyone I know is so far away, and here I am sitting in my home alone. While I sometimes travel alone in adventures, it's always nice to have some company you know?"

He continued, "Like I said before, this is the first time I will be seeing the birth of a new year without anyone close so I am alone."

He felt a petite hand touching his large gloved one and Mario slightly blushed at the scene. "Oh?"

"That you are wrong in Mario," Rosalina assured. "You are not alone."

The plumber's shocked expression became a content one. "You're right...I may not be alone this year at all."

"I know the feeling of being alone," Rosalina stated. "Me, the one watching the stars, planets, galaxies, in the end everything leaves, the lumas come and go. So you can imagine what I must go through."

"You're right, I have forgotten that."

"And that's another reason why I came here, I too felt the pain of loneliness."

"And now you aren't, Rosalina, you are not alone either."

"Thank you, Mario."

"You are welcome...oh!" Mario looked at the clock at the wall. "Mama Mia! The new year is almost here! Only a few minutes left!" He took hold of Rosalina's hand and dragged her outside, their feet rushed through the snow.

"Where are you taking me Mario?" Rosalina asked him.

"Oh, some where special," Mario winked at her. The two stopped at a hill. The snow stopped falling, and the sky was crystal clear. "From here you can see the fireworks the Mushroom Kingdom shoots out when the new year is born." He looked at his watch. "And only ten seconds left."

_10_

He stood next to the cosmic princess. "Get ready."

_9_

Rosalina looked at the sky, eager for the celebration.

_8_

Mario too did the same.

_7_

"You're going to enjoy it," he whispered to her.

_6_

Rosalina chuckled. "I am sure I will," she whispered back.

_5_

She stood a little more closer to him and took his hand.

_4_

Mario felt the warmth of the petite hand on his.

_3_

He squeezed it and smiled at her.

_2_

The cosmic princess also smiled back, with a tint of pink escaping through her face.

_1_

The minute hand stroke at twelve and the first shot is fired.

_Happy New Year_

* * *

_**Simply put, I adore this pairing. I would have uploaded this sooner, but other things had to be taken care of, so Happy New Year everyone and thank you for reading.**_

_**I would like to create more stories for this couple whenever I have the chance.  
**_

_**Uh, review?  
**_


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